Improvement in harvesters



man J. Raap, of Cumberland, in the State of Marylntvil WILLI All B.JOHNS, OF G ERGETOWN, DLTRIUT 0F (It lijiw.

COLUMBIA, AND wn.-

LIM J. READ, OF CUMBEBLAND, MARYLAND.

Letters Patent No. 104,852, dated June 28, 1870.

nvzPisoveMnlvT 1N HARVESTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent andl making part 0f theSam lo all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that we, Wittem B. JOHNS, of Georgetown, in the District of(,oluinhia. and \VIL' land, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Harvestilig-Maehines and Rakes therefor; and we dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the construction and operation Aof the same, relin'encc being had tothe accompanyingr drawings making a part of this specifica` tion, inwhich- Figure l represents, in perspective, so unich of the machine aswill l'ully illustrate our invent-ion.

Figure 2 represents a see-tion through the saine.

Similarletters of' reference, where they occur in the separate figures,denote like parts ofthe machine in both et the drawings.

Our invention eonsists- First, in the combination, with aluirvesting-machine that is propelled in advance ofthe team, ol' a pairoi' guiding-shafts, pivotcd to the main traine, so as to move laterallyand vertically, both independent otsaid main frame, and a lever,attached to said main traine, and extending to the operator, who ridesupon the team, so that he may guide said main lframe, both' laterallyand vertically-ami independent ot'ihe shafts; and

Finally, our invention consists in pivoted and vibratinggathering-lingers, which catch and move and hohl the stalks io thecutting n'iechanism while they arc severed l'roni the stubble, andserving the purpose ot' a reel. Y

lo enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe the same with rel'erence to the drawings.

A is the main frame, which is made drooping from rear to front, as shownin the drawings.

To thc rear of and in line with the main frame A there is pivoted a pairof shafts, in which thc horse lthat propels thc machine is hitched, withhis head in the direction ot' the main i'rame.

The pivotal connection, u, between the shafts and main frame, is suchthat either may move up or down, or to the right or left, withoutimparting that 1novement to the other, or so that the irregularities ofthe ground over which the horse is passing shall not be communicated tothe niain llame, and especially` the cuttcrs,.or those ot' thc mainirame tothe shai'ts.

But., while these motions are left free, so that thc machine mayaccommodate itself to the irregularities of the ground, there must besome means for the operator to control the machine.

For this purpose a lever, C, connected to the main frame, is provided,fastat the point i), and extending back, so that the operator, who rideson the horse, may seize and work it to raise or lower, or guide to theright or left, the machine, when such an emergency shall arise.

The' ralce-shatt l) is supporteduin beat-ings at c (l, A..

and is revolved by means of a wormgear, E, on the main axle, which worksin a skew-pinion, e, on the rakcshaft, and so revolves' it.

The rake-shaft rises from its rear toward its front end, and at the.front-end is pivoted (as at fla rakest'ale, F, butcontroiled by aspring, g.

This rake-stale projects downward, and has, pivote-d to its lower' end.,(as at 11,) a rake-head, G, which may be furnished with rake-teeth, saidrake-head being also controlled by'a spring, i, so as to preserve it inthe proper position to sweep ofi the gavel.

lhe tinger-ba'rI is attached to the frontof the main frame, and in it isset, so as to pivot or turn on their shanks, a series of bent fingers,a, the forward ends of which reciprocate, one between each pair ofadjacent guards j, v

Inv the cutter-bar, iinwliich vibratcs in the usual way through theguards j, are placed studs, o o 0,' which, as they strike against thegathering-fingers, n,

move them in one direction, to force' and hold the grain between themand the guards while it is being severed by the cutters; the lreturnmotion ot' the eutter-har rcciproca'tes the lingers 'a in the oppositedirection, where they perform' a similar duty in connection with theother guards j on that side of them,

'.lhesc fingers n do the duty of a reel, as to drawing the grain intothe critters, and, being muchlighter, do not bear down the front of themachine so hard upon the ground. y t

'.lhc cutter-bar iny is reciprocated by thc'bar J, which is pivoted atr,and which is vibrated through the bevcl-pinions l 2 3, the former (l)being driven by a bevel-gear on the main axle, not shown.

We have described but one rake-'stale and rake as" attached to therake-shaft. There' may be two or more, it found necessary.

Nba-t we claim as our invention, isw In combination with the mainframe'of' a harvestingxmicl1ine,and thc shafts in rear of it, to whichlthe team ishitched for propelling' the machine, the swi'vel'joint at a,and thcguiding and cont-rollingd lever (l, by which the machine may beallowed to coni'orni to the inequalities ot'I the ground, but still bcunder thc control oi' the operator, substantially as dcscribed. l

Also, in combination with the guards j, and the cutting apparatus m, thepi'voted gatheringngersn, and the studs 0 o, f'or reciprocating them,substantially asdesoribcd and represented.

WM. B. JOHNS. WILLIAM J. READ.'

Witnesses to Jonasz' A. B. S'rouonirox, EDMUND Masses.

Witnesses to Ruin:

A.. Spina,

J. B. Wlxsnow.

